Eric and Nell
by Arwen J Hui
Summary: Just a series of drabbles that pop into my head once in a while. There's no specific order to them. Beware of fluff...lots of fluff. Rated K-plus for slight if any language.
1. Finally

**Disclaimer: As much as I would like to, I don't own NCIS: LA or the characters. *sigh***

* * *

"Eric!" Nell stood frozen in front of the main screen in Tech Ops. The color had drained from her face almost as quickly as the video feed from Eric's glasses had cut out. The last thing she saw was the wheel to a plane and the top of Eric's head. Now, nothing but snow went across the screen and Nell heard only static in her headset. "Eric!" she screamed into the microphone. She jabbed furiously at the tablet in her hands in an effort to get back some sort of connection to her partner. She should have listened to the nagging voice in her head when it told her something was going to go terribly wrong today.

The morning had started like any other. Sam and Callen laughing at a dirty joke Deeks had told while Kensi shook her head but silently laughed along. The Mission was bright as the sunlight poured in through the windows adding warmth the to the cheerful atmosphere.

Up in the cool darkness of Tech Ops, Eric and Nell were pulling together information for that morning's briefing. They silently worked in tandem which wasn't unusual for it was rather early in the morning. What was unusual was Eric's silence. It was a different kind of silence but Nell couldn't put her finger on what made it different. She shrugged it off attributing it to lack of coffee until a name on her monitor caught her eye and suddenly she understood: Gary Clay.

_Not again_, said the voice.

"Eric?" she said slowly. "Why-"

"I know," Eric said cutting her off. He could tell that she was taken aback by his quick response so he turned to her. Forcing a smile on his face he said, "Can you get the team up here, please?"

_He's giving you whistle duty_, the voice said. _This can't be good_.

...

The static continued and the main screen remained snowy. Nell was still frantically trying to re-establish a connection to Eric. Line after line of code came up on the screen blocking every single one of Nell's attempts to break through the airport's firewall. She strained her ears for Eric's voice in the headset as tears welled up in her eyes and blurred her vision. Her breathing was fast and short but she worked harder and faster than ever.

At last she broke through the airport's firewall and brought up the feed of every security camera aimed at the runways. She wiped her tears on her sleeve and scanned each frame of video for some sign of her partner. When she did find him, her heart almost stopped. He was flat on his back and his glasses were smashed to pieces beside his motionless body. What Nell could make out of his face was cut and bloody and his arm was positioned in such an unnatural way that it made her feel sick.

"Callen! Kensi! Someone!" Nell shouted, near tears, into her headset.

"Nell?" said Sam's voice.

"Sam," Nell breathed a small sigh of relief. "He's on runway 4!"

"G and I are on it. Get eyes on Fredericks and Killam for Kensi and Deeks."

"Copy," Nell replied now searching for the bastards while simultaneously trying to reconnect with Eric. "Kensi, Deeks?"

"Yeah, Nell?" It was Deeks' voice this time.

"They're in the hangar on runway 7. They're gonna run. I can stop the bay from opening but you two need to get there fast!"

"Are you sure you'll be ok?" Nell asked Eric as he got dressed behind the curtain.

"I'll be fine," Eric reassured her. "I have a rock solid identity that Hetty put together and you'll be in my ear the entire time." Eric stepped out from behind the partition in khakis and a navy windbreaker. "Plus, you'll be able to see everything I see." He tapped his glasses which were no different from his usual pair except that these had a fiber optic camera hidden in the frame. He smiled a reassuring half-smile and opened his arms to show off his outfit. "How do I look?"

Nell looked Eric up and down and giggled at his ridiculous appearance. He looked so uncomfortable in dress pants but his shoes were the icing on top of it all. "Lose the flip-flops," Nell said turning to leave.

Eric looked down at his feet then back to Nell. "I think I pull this look off quite nicely," he yelled after her for she was already halfway up the steps. For someone so small she moved so quickly. Then again, he wasn't surprised; Hetty probably taught her a few ninja skills.

...

The next few minutes seemed to pass in slow motion. Nell watched helplessly as Kensi and Deeks ran across the tarmac to the hangar and Callen and Sam ran through terminals to get to Eric who remained still.

Nell tried to push in on the video to see if he was alive but the resolution was atrocious. "Eric? Can you hear me?" No response. "Please be ok," she said shakily. "Please be alive, Eric." Then she heard her name in her ear. It was faint, almost a whisper.

"Nell..." Nell maxed out the volume in her headset.

"Eric?" she gasped.

"Nell..."

"Eric, hold on," she said trying to steady her voice. "They're coming for you. Sam and Callen are coming."

"Nell," Eric groaned again.

"Eric, you stay with me! Eric?" Silence. "Eric!" Nell began to panic. "Sam!"

"We got him," he replied just as Nell saw both his figure and Callen's come onto the screen.

"We got Fredericks and Killam," said Deeks. Nell heard a pair of handcuffs click. She acknowledged him and turned her attention back to Sam, Callen, and Eric. Callen had already checked Eric and was helping Sam hoist his limp body over his shoulder. Nell cut off the video feed and ripped her headset off throwing it unceremoniously across the room. Then she sat in her chair and cried paying no attention to the other agents as they tentatively walked past.

...

He didn't know where he went wrong. He had stuck to his cover story and followed protocol. Nell successfully guided him through repairing the passenger plane's engine and Hetty assured him that he was in the clear. He didn't expect to be attacked after getting the evidence to put the corrupt general away and successfully completing his assignment. _Maybe it was too easy_, Eric thought to himself as another blow connected with his face. The last thing he heard before passing out was Nell screaming his name telling him to get out. Then everything went black.

...

"I wouldn't care if he's a billionaire philanthropist!" Hetty said icily into the phone. "He is guilty of multiple crimes against the United States, including terrorism, and he put one of my people in the hospital! _You will _arrest him or, so help me, I will go down there and cuff him myself." Hetty uncharacteristically slammed the phone onto the receiver and sat back in her chair clearly exhausted, but she couldn't rest. She slowly stood up and made her way up the stairs to Tech Ops where she found Nell visibly distressed, as was her right, sitting in her chair clutching her tablet as if it were a life preserver. She strolled over to her and embraced her. "There, there," Hetty said softly stroking Nell's head. "All is well, Miss Jones. You needn't worry anymore. You may cry, but you needn't worry."

The two of them were silent and Nell's breathing returned to normal. The soothing smell of tea that followed Hetty everywhere she went made her head stop spinning. She closed her eyes for a second but they shot open as the doors to OSP slid open downstairs.

"Go on," Hetty told her. Throwing aside her tablet, Nell ran out of Tech Ops and nearly slid into the railing. She clutched the wrought iron for support and let out a quick gasp. He was bloodied and bruised and his left arm was in a cast and sling, but he was smiling. His flip-flops flip-flopped on the stone floors of the Mission stopping mid-step as he caught sight of his favorite face.

Nell flew down the stairs and easily slipped through the daily bustle of agents. She stopped at the edge of the bullpen opposite the rest of the team and half-laughed, half-sobbed at the sight of Eric. The tears she had been holding back began streaming down her face and she ran into Eric's open arms. Hetty shooed the team away and into the foyer but that didn't stop them from peeking around the corner.

Tiny Nell seemed to disappear in Eric's chest as she pulled him into a tight hug. She buried her face in his shirt and cried silently. Eric hugged her back with his good arm and rested his head on top of hers. She turned her head up to face him and smiled a tearful smile. His bloodied lips curled into a faint grin as he tightened his grasp around the tiny analyst and pulled her up off the floor and into a kiss.

This wasn't the normal friendly peck on the cheek that friends would exchange. This was a full on "I love you" kind of kiss. Nell felt the ground disappear beneath her feet as Eric had pulled her up which only added to the feeling that she was flying.

When Nell was back on the ground and her senses had returned she looked at Eric in shock. He smiled sheepishly and opened his mouth to apologize but Nell cut him off.

"No," she said. "Don't be." Nell rested her head on his chest once more and shut her eyes not giving a second thought to what had just happened. Eric was back; he was safe and he was, finally, hers.


	2. Office Mischief

**Even though I'm just starting out, the fact that people have already reviewed this makes me smile! *hugs***

**No fluff, no angst; just friendship. The idea for this came to me after my younger sister and I used this song as an alarm to wake up our brother. I apologize in advance if you hate the song.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing.**

* * *

Eric sat on the stone floor of the mission, his brow furrowed in concentration. While he could have performed this little trick from the comfort of Tech Ops, there was something about the physical labor of it all that made it so much more satisfying.

"You realize that he will kill you, right?" said Nell perched on top of the desk with her arms resting in her lap. "Right now, five ways come to mind and not one of them is quick."

"True," Eric said not looking up from his work. "But he really does need to lighten up a bit. This will do just that." He held his hand out to Nell who rolled her eyes.

"I really have no idea how your twisted mind thinks that he'll find this funny," Nell said placing a Phillip's head screwdriver into Eric's outstretched hand.

"This was actually your idea if you think about it," Eric said pointedly.

"No, I said that he needs to stop taking everything so seriously and listen to some nice music to unwind. You came up with," she gestured at the project in front of Eric, "all of this."

"Psh," Eric scoffed not turning away from his work. "It's always so technical with you. Your idea, my idea; it's all the same. You're my partner in crime. The Bonnie to my Clyde."

"Yeah, well, you're on your own here, Clyde," laughed Nell, hopping off the desk. "By the way, Hetty's coming over." Nell swiftly made her way up the stairs to the safety of Tech Ops leaving Eric at the mercy of Hetty. Eric had barely processed what Nell had said when he heard the stern, familiar voice above his shoulder.

"Mr. Beale," Hetty said leaning over Eric's shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"I'm fixing Sam's computer," Eric replied a little too quickly. "He said it was making a weird noise so I thought I'd check it out."

"I see," Hetty replied straightening herself up. Eric breathed a sigh of relief as his petite employer strolled back across the bullpen to her office. "Mr. Beale." Eric tensed up and turned his body to face Hetty. "I do hope you are prepared to face the consequences of your actions." Eric sat shocked not from Hetty realizing the true reason he was fiddling with Sam's computer but because she did not reprimand him as was her usual course of action. From the top of the stairs, a small laugh escaped from Nell's mouth but she quickly recovered and slipped into Tech Ops.

Kensi and Deeks were the first to return to the Mission. The first thing Kensi did was grab an ice pack from the kitchen to soothe her aching neck. Deeks lay flat on his back on the couch like a cat looking for a belly rub.

"Move over," Kensi groaned standing over Deeks.

"I was here first," he whined.

"Then I'm sitting on you."

"Ugh, fine." Deeks lifted his legs so Kensi could sit down but as soon as she was seated he lay his legs on her lap, hoping to goad a response out of her but Kensi was too tire to care. The pair of them had just shut their eyes when Callen and Sam walked into the Mission. Callen disappeared to wardrobe but not before popping two aspirin into his mouth.

"Man, you two are weaklings," Sam said sitting down at his desk. Both Kensi and Deeks raised their hands, with their eyes still shut, and flipped Sam the bird. He just laughed to himself and booted up his computer ready to type up his report. After a day full of explosions and gunfire Sam wanted nothing more than to get the report written and go home to six-pack in his fridge. He had no idea that his beer would have to wait a little bit longer.

Eric bounced up and down in his chair like a little kid on the last day of school waiting for the dismissal bell. He could hardly contain his excitement.

"He's logging in," Nell said watching the live feed of the bullpen on the main screen. She hated to admit it but she was almost as eager as Eric to see the team's reaction to his prank. From what she could make out in the video feed, the computer was loading Sam's preferences. In just a few seconds, either hilarity or chaos would ensue.

The song's instrumental introduction spewed forth from Sam's computer speakers at an alarmingly loud volume that could be heard all the way in Tech Ops. The surprise sent Sam and his chair rolling backwards into the wall and caused several agents to stop dead in their tracks.

_We're no strangers to love  
__You know the rules and so do I_

Eric and Nell watched as Sam frantically tried to turn off his computer by repeatedly pushing the power button. Kensi was clutching her side and Deeks had fallen off of the couch from laughing so hard.

_A full commitment's what I'm thinking of  
__You wouldn't get this from any other guy_

Sam pulled the plug out of the power strip but the music still rang out.

"Oh, I'm so glad I put in that battery pack," Eric said wiping a tear from his eye.

"Why on earth would you chose this song?" Nell laughed, out of breath.

"Because it's awesome!"

_I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling  
__Gotta make you understand_

Kensi and Deeks were dancing now while Sam stood in front of his computer visibly confused and annoyed. Then he started to piece it together. He shot a dirty glare up at the camera on the ceiling and mouthed a silent threat.

"What did he say?" asked Eric.

"I think he said, _You're dead, Eric_." Nell gave her partner a worried look and the smile dropped from his face. "I think you better make a run for it."

Eric shot out of his chair and into the hall making way for the garage. Nell just sat in her chair laughing and shaking her head, watching the security feed as Sam chased Eric throughout the Mission with the song's chorus in the background:

_Never gonna give you up,  
__Never gonna let you down  
__Never gonna run around and desert you  
__Never gonna make you cry,  
__Never gonna say goodbye  
__Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you_

* * *

**I'm sorry! Please don't hate me for Rickrolling you! *cowers in corner* It's just that this was just so darn fun to write. I'm actually proud of myself for posting two days in a row but from here on out I'll update when I can. I have summer classes and work so that will most likely take up some of my time.**


	3. Wager

**I apologize in advance if my Spanish is wrong. Although I did take Spanish all through high school and I pride myself in being able to understand small (very, very small; practically microscopic) pieces of conversation, my grammar and ability to put together sentences sucks.  
**

**Disclaimer: NCIS: LA and characters belong to CBS. I own nothing.**

* * *

A long sigh escaped Eric as he added another tally to the paper tacked to the wall. _Seven down, eight to go_, Eric thought to himself. It pained him to make that short, single line. The green ink was so stark against the white paper and the glow from the various monitors in Tech Ops made it appear almost ominous. He had to admit that never would have thought of "devious" as one of Nell's many character traits. Sure, she was sweet, gorgeous, not to mention incredibly intelligent but devious? He had to admit she was a crafty one, that Nell.

...

"He's never gonna do it," Eric said spinning himself in his chair in front of the main screen while waiting for Kaleidoscope to find a suspect's truck. Spinning in his chair was one of his favorite things to do right above surfing and whistle duty and just below being with Nell.

Nell crossed her arms and turned her chair to face Eric's. "You're really sure about this, aren't you?" she said watching her partner continue to act like a four year-old.

"Yep. He's never gonna do it. He's too scared of her."

"I don't know," Nell said with a small smile. "You underestimate him. And I wouldn't say he's afraid of her. It's more like he's afraid of what she'll say."

Eric scoffed but he continued spinning. "Please, we already talked about it. It's never gonna happen. I am one-hundred percent positive."

"Really?" Nell rolled forward and stopped so that her chair was next to Eric's. "Are you willing to put money on it?" This made Eric cease his spinning and stroke his chin in thought.

"How much?"

"Ten dollars says he asks her by the end of the week."

"I say he doesn't. And make it twenty." Eric wheeled back to his computer to check on Kaleidoscope. "Oh, and when I win, you have to do the dishes for the rest of the month."

"_When_ you win?" Nell asked rolling in beside Eric. "You really are very confident about this." She watched a very smug smile cross Eric's features. "Fine, then I'll see your wager and raise you…" Nell thought for a moment. "Fifteen whistles." Eric's smile spread from ear to ear. He turned to Nell, beaming.

"You've got yourself a deal." He and Nell shook hands making their bet official.

_**The following week…**_

"How?" Eric was pacing back and forth in in Tech Ops wracking his brain for an explanation. "How could you possibly know? You hardly ever talk to him except on an op."

"I have a gift," Nell said shrugging her shoulders. "Es uno de mis muchos talentos."

"No," Eric said shaking his finger at Nell. "You had to know way before we made the bet. He must have said something to you." Nell shrugged again and turned back to her monitor. "He told you, didn't he?" Eric walked over to Nell and turned her chair to face him. "He _did_ tell you! Oh-ho-ho!" Eric leaned in so that his face was inches from Nell's. "That means you tricked me," he said in a low voice.

"I did no such thing, Eric," Nell said calmly. "You're over-thinking this. It was simply a woman's intuition." She smiled and kissed the tip of his nose before returning to her work. Eric stood behind her utterly speechless with a look of disbelief on his face. _He totally told her_, he thought.

_**Later that day...**_

"For the hundredth time, I didn't tell her."

"You didn't ask her for advice or anything?" Eric was leaning over the desk now in an effort to look as intimidating as possible (which isn't very when one is wearing a Hawaiian print shirt, frayed khaki shorts, and flip-flops).

"Nope. I swear on my surfboard and Monty's favorite squeaky toy."

"You really said nothing to her, Deeks?" Deeks shook his head while Eric's hung down in defeat. "Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"Dude, seriously?" Deeks asked incredulously. "You're the worst person to go to for advice."

"Yeah I guess," he admitted. "I still can't believe I lost. Nell is going to hand this over my head forever."

"Not forever," Nell said appearing, almost magically, beside Eric. "Just until the end of the month. Now go put another tally on that paper of yours." Eric slowly trudged his way back up to Tech Ops looking very disappointed. Nell waited for him to be out of earshot before she slipped ten dollars across Deeks' desk.

"What's this?" Deeks asked visibly confused.

"I thought it would be nice to share my spoils. Besides, I knew you would eventually ask Kensi out months ago. It was just a matter of waiting." She smiled and turned practically skipping to the stairs.

"So on top of being a super genius you're also a psychic?" Deeks called after her.

"Es uno de mis muchos talentos."

* * *

**I hate to admit it, but I'm stuck in fluff mode. It's not the fluffiest fanfic but I feel like I'm being smothered by millions of tiny blue and pink cotton candy monsters or something. But awwww! Some Densi love! Also, if you didn't pick up on it, Eric and Nell are living together. Gah! All the fluff is making my insides feel funny!**


	4. Sing

**If you're not a fan of fluff, I sincerely apologize. I can't seem to break free of the fluffy monsters' grasps. There is something that's not fluffy in the works but from what I've mapped out it looks like it might turn into a two-parter so it's going to take a little longer than expected to post it. Here's a cute little one-shot to hold you over until then :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of NCIS: Los Angeles nor do I own the lyrics to the song.**

* * *

Grey storm clouds had hung over Los Angeles for the better part of the week sending torrential downpours onto the normally sunny city. The warm sun that usually illuminated the Mission's interior was completely absent and the light fixtures provided only a wan glow. All of this did nothing to lighten Nell's already dreary mood. She had bags under her eyes and she was sore all over. For the past nine days (yes, she was counting), Nell had been single handedly running Tech Ops while Eric was on loan to the DOD. Not only did she miss having a partner to lighten the workload, she missed waking up to him lying next to her. Being stuck in the dimly lit Tech Ops Center didn't help either.

"Hey, Nell." Sam walked into Tech Ops looking just as drained as Nell. "Can you put this on the main screen?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thumb drive.

"Sure," Nell said putting herself into work-mode. "What is it?"

"Don't know yet. Just found it on a suspect. Thought you could give it a look."

"Okay." Nell plugged the drive into the computer and brought up the files on the main screen. "There's only one file on here; a video. Virus scan says it's not harmful." Nell clicked on the file to open it and found a very nice surprise.

Eric's face appeared on screen. He was sitting on the edge of the bed in his hotel room and waving at what Nell assumed was his webcam. "Hey, Nell. So, um, Sam's told me that the weather hasn't been so great over there lately and that it's been putting a bit of a damper on your normal, cheery mood. I think that not being able to talk with yours truly," Eric smiled and pointed at himself, "doesn't help much, either. So, in order to brighten up your day a bit, I have put together a little something for you." Eric got up and disappeared off camera for a few seconds. Nell heard a plastic bag rustle and a few clicks. When Eric had come back into view, an upbeat song was playing in the background. He cleared his throat and started to lip-sync.

_It's like I've been feeling like a helium balloon  
__You know I'm always on the rise  
__Or is this love, love, love, love, love?  
__Dead winter but it feels like June  
__With a smile I can't hide  
__Or is this love, love, love, love, love?_

A smile formed on Nell's face and she let out a loud laugh as she watched Eric pop his collar and start to dance. Horribly.

_Oh I won't, I won't let you go  
__I won't let you go  
__I won't, I won't let you go  
__I won't let you go  
__I won't let you go now_

Sam smiled and silently backed out of Tech Ops leaving Nell to watch her video message. Nell had to cover her mouth to keep from howling as Eric started to shuffle and moonwalk back and forth across the screen keeping in time to the music and lip-syncing all the while.

_I've been sleeping on a cloud called number nine  
__Walking on the air and staring at the sky  
__I can't remember ever feeling so alive  
__It's like you brought me back to life  
__Well you turned on all the lights, somehow_

Eric continued to dance and lip-sync and jump on the bed. As the song concluded, Nell regained some composure. Eric flopped onto the bed just as the song finished and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Hopefully, Sam has left the room by now and nobody else has seen this because frankly, this whole thing is just a little embarrassing. If your day has not yet been improved, fear not, for I will be back home, with you, on Thursday which should be tomorrow if Sam gave this to you when I told him to give it to you." Eric paused for a moment then began to sign with his hands. _I love you, Nell Jones._ With that, he smiled and shut off the camera. The screen went black noting the end of the video and Nell was just a little bit happier as she went down to the bullpen. She found the person she was looking for and hugged him.

"Thank you," she said and back upstairs she went with a smile on her face.

"What was that about?" Deeks asked.

"Nothing that concerns you," Sam replied.

* * *

**To quote Agnes from Despicable Me, "IT'S SO FLUFFY!" Review please :)**


	5. Courage

**I know I said that I had something unfluffy but that did not go as planned. It has been set aside for now but I will continue to work on it and will eventually post it. For now, here is something I think is really cute.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: Los Angeles or its characters.**

* * *

"I still don't see why you have to get so dressed up for this," Deeks said through the curtain. "Isn't it just a little over the top?"

"Let him do his thing, Deeks," Sam said slightly annoyed.

"He's dressing up because he's never dressed up," said Callen waltzing into wardrobe. "It'll be a nice change."

Eric emerged from behind the curtain wearing one of Hetty's best tuxedos and a nervous, almost sick, expression on his face.

"What if something goes wrong?" Eric asked with a panicked voice walking to the full-length mirror. He stood in front of it and struggled with this shirt buttons.

"You'll be fine, Eric," Deeks said reassuringly. "Unless you say something stupid, fall on your face, or scr - OW! Really, Sam? Really?"

"Quit scaring him," Sam said glaring at Deeks. "He's nervous enough as it is."

"I can't do this," Eric said shaking his head.

"Relax, man," Callen said slapping Eric on the shoulder. "It's not an op."

"Well, it feels like one." Eric loosened his tie and shirt collar in a vain effort to cool himself off. "Is there any way I can take an earwig and have you guys talk me through this?"

"I'm afraid not, Mr. Beale." Hetty strolled in, her hands clasped behind her back as per usual only this time she was holding something special. "I cannot let you use our technology for this. I can, however, lend you these." From behind her back, Hetty procured a small velvet box. Inside the box was a pair of cufflinks. "Mother of pearl set in Tibetan silver. Ornate enough for the occasion but not so much that they take anything away from your wardrobe."

Eric looked at the cufflinks with admiration and appreciation. "Wow. Thank you, Hetty." Hetty replied with a simple smile.

"Good luck, Mr. Beale," she said and she turned on her heel and walked back to her desk.

"I'm still scared, guys."

"Eric, look at me," Callen said putting himself directly between Eric and mirror. "You need to man up. You can't let fear take control of you."

"But-"

"I'm not done. There is a fantastic girl out there waiting for you. She's smart, she's sweet, and she is absolutely in love with you. If you chicken out over this, then you really don't deserve her." Eric stared incredulously at Callen for a moment.

"Did Callen just get all romantic on us?" Deeks asked in a hushed voice which earned him another glare from Sam.

"You need to put yourself out there and not be afraid of getting hurt."

"I don't think she'd ever hurt me."

"Then you have no reason to be afraid. Now get out there before I shoot you in the ass."

After putting on Hetty's cufflinks and some final adjustments to his shirt and jacket, Eric took a deep breath and turned to leave wardrobe.

"Hey, Eric," Callen called. "You forgot this." He threw a small box at Eric who caught it mid-flight.

"Go get her," said Deeks.

"Good luck, brother," Sam said encouragingly.

Eric nodded his thanks and left wardrobe to re-enter the Mission. He stopped only a few steps out and opened the little black box. He ran his finger over the slender gold band and the tiny diamond and a small smile found its way onto his face. With his courage slowly returning, he snapped the box shut and made long, deliberate strides towards Nell's little office.

* * *

**Yay for bromance! I can really picture the guys helping Eric in this situation: Deeks trying to diffuse the tension with his special brand of humor, Sam being the supportive older brother figure, Callen telling Eric to man up. Can you see Callen being the one to give the advice? If not, who do you think would be the one to tell Eric to man up?**


	6. A Proposition

**A continuation of "Courage". I know I promised something unfluffy but I'm still stuck so for now, the fluffy cotton candy monsters will continue to spew forth their sugary fluffiness.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: LA or the characters.**

* * *

Nell sat in front of her computer with one hand clicking the mouse and the other supporting her head. There was no new intel to sift through, no case reports to put together, and not a single five to place on top of the six so she could move the four to open the cell for a king. She was about to start a new game when Eric poked his head around the iron latticework that separated her little "office" from the rest of the Mission.

"Hey, Nell," Eric said brightly. "Got a minute?"

"Sure," she replied closing her game. She turned her chair around to face him. "What's up?"

"I need your opinion on something but, you have to promise not to laugh." The nervousness started to creep back up but Eric forced it back down.

"Depending on what it is, I may not be able to promise that."

Eric took a deep breath and stepped into Nell's little area. It took everything Nell had not to laugh at the sight that stood in front of her. Even though it was tailored and it fit him right, he looked so awkward and uncomfortable in that tuxedo. From the starched collar to the shiny black shoes, Eric looked very out of his element.

"You look," Nell said stifling her laughter, "dashing."

"Ugh. I knew you would laugh."

"I'm not laughing," she said trying her best to keep a straight face. "Let me just ask you one question: Shaken, not stirred, right?" At this point, Nell was fighting a fit of giggles.

"Forget it," Eric said turning to walk out. "Let me know when you're done laughing."

"No, no, no, no, no," Nell said standing up. She took hold of Eric's wrist and pulled him back into her office. "I'm sorry. You do look very handsome. May I ask what this is for?"

"I don't know," Eric lied. "Hetty told me to try it on." That part was true. "Does it really look good?"

"Very. You could definitely rival any 007." Nell stood on her toes and kissed Eric's cheek causing the nervousness he so expertly shoved back down to resurface. "I especially like the cufflinks," she half-giggled.

"Thank you," he said smiling. He turned to leave so he could collect himself but quickly turned back to face Nell. "Do you remember when you first started here?" Nell nodded. "You were constantly interrupting me and finishing my sentences..."

"I still do."

"Yes, you do but it's not annoying like it was back then. I've gotten used to not finishing sentences that sometimes when I talk to other people I stop mid-sentence waiting for you to finish it for me. Most of the times you aren't there so it gets to be a little awkward." Nell smiled at this. "Hetty actually asked me what I thought of you. Twice."

"Oh? And what did you tell her?"

"The first time, I sort of just grumbled. The second time she asked me I told her that you were starting to grow on me."

"What would you say if she asked you a third time?" A small voice in the back of Nell's mind started wondering where this conversation was headed but it was still half-laughing at the sight of Eric in the tuxedo.

Without hesitation, he replied, "If she asked me again, I'd thank her for hiring on someone as amazing and intelligent as you." The nervousness he felt before was now completely gone and he was slowly moving his hand towards his pant pocket.

"Aw," Nell said hugging him. "You're sweet."

"So are you, Rockstar," he said returning the hug and kissing her nose. "I'd also tell her I don't think I'd make it a day without you." He pulled away from the hug while simultaneously sliding the box out of his pocket. "You truly are an amazing girl, Nell Jones." Taking Nell's left hand in his own, Eric slowly got down on one knee and flipped open the black velvet box. The look on Nell's face was a mix of confusion and joy and the small voice in the back of her mind was silent. "Will you-"

"Yes," Nell's voice cracked. Her eyes became glassy with tears as the realization of the situation hit her.

"You really can't let me finish a sentence can you?" Eric chuckled.

"I'm sorry," Nell choked as she gestured for Eric to ask again.

"Will you marry me, Nell?"

"Yes, I will marry you," she replied nodding furiously. She covered her mouth but a small cry escaped between her fingers as Eric slipped the band onto her finger. Cupping his smiling face in her hands, she bent down to kiss him. "Did you get dressed up just for this?" Nell said sniffling.

"Just for you, Nell," replied Eric. He and Nell kissed again only to pull apart at the sound of someone cheering. Make that a lot of someones.

Eric and Nell emerged from her office to find almost all of OSP cheering and applauding. Nell looked to Eric for an explanation but he just shrugged. As if in reply to Nell's silent question, Deeks appeared in front of them holding a video camera.

"I think I speak for everyone here when I say, 'Finally!'" Deeks shouted over the ruckus with a very broad smile. "Eric Beale, it took you three years to pluck up the courage to ask out the lovely Nell Jones and another year to finally ask her to marry you. Now that she has said yes, what-" Kensi grabbed hold of her partner's ear and dragged him away before he could ask his question.

"Deeks thought it would be nice to broadcast Eric's proposal to everyone here," Sam said as the cheering died down. "There was no stopping him."

"I told you there was nothing to be scared of," Callen said to Eric as he clapped him on the shoulder.

"It still felt like an op," Eric retorted. He smiled as he felt Nell's fingers intertwine with his and smiled even more when he felt the cool metal of Nell's ring touch his skin. In a way, the proposal was like an op; when it was done, he was relieved and he was happy.

* * *

**It's so cute! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!**

**I was originally going to quote Alfred Hitchcock's **_**North by Northwest**_** but I was afraid that some of you might not have seen it (I highly recommend that you do). To be safe, I stuck with the James Bond reference.**

**If I do not update more frequently, I apologize. My summer class just started and I'm trying to get into the groove of it. I also received notification this morning that I have been accepted into a nursing program for the fall (Yay! No more prerequisite classes to worry about!) so, bear with me while I get adjusted. There are a lot of things I have to do before I can actually start the program (such as certifications, registrations, orientations, other-ations…) Please, review and thank you for your patience!**


	7. Signs

**I really have no idea where this came from. One minute I'm writing a paper for my sociology class and I have no choice but to put it on hold because this came pouring out. This revolves almost completely around Eric and the narrator (a twelve year old boy named Jakob) which makes it a very, very different writing style from my normal style but I really like how this turned out. The premise is this: twelve year old Jakob's mother is a Marine. She's on leave but she's abducted by an unknown group and Jakob is taken into NCIS custody for the time being. This entire thing is told from his perspective. Let me know what you think and thanks so much for the reviews! They're always helpful :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: LA or the characters.**

* * *

_Where is she?_ I ask the lady in the suit. _Where is my mom?_

_We're looking for her,_ she tells me. _We're doing everything we can_.

I slam my hands on the table which makes them turn red and sting. My stinging hands curl into angry fists in my lap and my vision is blurred from the tears welling up in my eyes. It gets to the point where I can't hold them back anymore and they fall, dripping down the backs of my hands and making dark wet spots on my jeans.

_You're not telling me anything!_ I tell the woman (her name is Sue) angrily but she doesn't seem to get it. She keeps telling me everything will be alright but I can tell she's not even sure about that. Nothing's been alright since dad died in Iraq last year and now mom gets taken while on leave.

I'm crying hysterically now and I can't see what the woman is trying to tell me. She keeps trying to hold down my hands but they fly away from her grasp. Suddenly, a man with very short hair comes in. When I wipe the tears away I can see him looking at me with sympathy. He puts a laptop onto the table in front of me and brings up a video chat window and I can see a blond man with glasses surrounded by computer monitors waving at me.

_Hi, Jakob_, he tells me. _My name is Eric._

_Do you know where my mom is?_

_No, but I have all my computers looking for her_. He turns the camera to show me the computers and the people manning them and a part of me relaxes. _I have the best people looking for her._ He disappears off screen for a second and comes back with a woman. This woman is small, maybe a little taller than me, with her hair cut short just like my mom's. _This is Nell_, Eric tells me. _She's helping to look for your mom, too._ Nell says something to Eric who then asks to talk to Sue and the tall man who I now know to be Agent Callen. The adults turn the laptop to face them and they talk for a minute until they turn the laptop back to me. Nell is gone now but Eric is still on screen.

Sue taps my arm and asks me, _Would you feel better if you could be there helping to look for your mom?_ She points at Eric on the screen and he gives me a reassuring smile.

_Yes,_ I tell her. _I want to help_. I look at Eric and he gives me the thumbs up.

Agent Callen and his partner (Eric tells me his name is Sam) take me to an old building (we got to leave Sue at that boat shed). It looks like it's about to fall down on the outside but when they bring me inside, it looks amazing. There's people walking back and forth with folders and coffee and they're all dressed in dress shirts and dress pants. Agent Callen wanders off somewhere but Sam takes me upstairs to a dark room and in the far corner I see Eric. He waves me over and pats on a chair for me to sit.

_This is Kaleidoscope_, he says. _This is what's helping Agents Callen, Hanna, Blye, and Deeks find your mom._

_What can I do to help?_

_You can relax a little first. Agent Callen's team is very good at what they do and with Kaleidoscope helping them, they'll find your mom for sure._

Whatever fear I had left in me started to leave. He said they would find her for sure.

_If it's okay with you, would you like to go sit on the sofa and do something to get your mind off of everything?_

_Can I stay in here with you? It's nice and cool._

_Sure. I'll have someone bring up some stuff for you._ And someone does bring up stuff. They bring a few thick blankets for me to sit on and set me up in an empty corner. Nell gives me a book about a wizard but I don't have the heart to tell her I already read it. She looks so kind and caring and she doesn't look at me the way other people do; she doesn't look sorry for me. So I take the book and I watch her bustle back and forth across the room, disappearing beyond the sliding doors occasionally.

I watch Eric, too. He works hard at his computer but once in a while I see him look up to catch a glance of Nell and whenever he does, he smiles then goes right back to work. I catch Nell looking at him once in a while, too, and the way she smiles at him or the way she leans towards him when he tells her something important reminds me of how my parents used to look at each other.

I must have fallen asleep at some point because I feel myself being shaken awake. As my eyes adjust to the dark, Nell comes into focus and she calls over Eric. Both of them have smiles on their faces. _We found her_, Eric tells me. _We found your mom_.

I sit up straight and immediately ask a stream of questions. _Where is she? Is she ok? Can I see her? Is she here?_

_She's at the hospital but she's okay. The doctors are just cleaning her cuts. She'll be here in a bit._

I look at both of them and I suddenly find my arms wrapped around both of them. I'm crying but these tears are happy tears. When I let go, Nell gives my shoulder a squeeze and goes off to do something on the computer but not before sharing a look with Eric.

I turn my body away from Nell's line of sight. _You like her, don't you?_ I ask him.

_Yes_, he tells me taking a seat on the blankets beside me. _And you don't have to hide your hands. I'm the only one who understands Sign Language._

_Did you tell her?_ I ask turning my body back around.

_No_.

_Well you should._

_She doesn't like me like that._

_Are you sure? People think that just because I'm deaf that I don't understand everything but I know a lot. I watch people when they think I'm not looking. You may not see it, but Nell likes you. She flirts with you._

_No way. She doesn't say anything flirty to me._

_She does say it but not with her mouth. She says it with her body. She looks at you differently than the other guys that walked in and out of here._

Eric doesn't say anything for a bit. He just sits there. Finally, he says, _You really think she likes me?_

_I'm sure._

* * *

**I really like how this turned out. I was in a bit of a slump and couldn't write anything for Eric and Nell for a few days but I'm so glad that this popped into my head. Let me know what you think!**


	8. Surf's Up

**I don't know about you guys but where I am the weather has been crappy. It's been raining on and off all weekend. Boooooo! Since I am confined to the indoors I figured I should write something to cheer myself up and if you're experiencing horrible weather like me I hope this cheers you up a bit, too.**

**Also, we have a cover for this story now! YAY! I just hate how it's so tiny and you can't see it…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: LA or the characters.**

As the sun bathed Los Angeles in a warm blanket of rays, seagulls squawked over the heads of beach-goers and the ocean crashed against the sandy shore. Even though the temperature was eighty-eight degrees there was zero humidity which made it a perfect day for some relaxation and that is exactly what Callen and his team did. Earlier that morning Hetty shooed them out of OSP saying that she didn't need them working today and if Hetty was giving them the day off, they didn't question why. Deeks made the suggestion that they make the day a "team outing".

"We don't hang out much outside the office," he said pointedly. "Let's just go to the beach and spend some quality time together, huh? Who's in?" Nobody objected.

Once they were at the beach and had set everything up, Deeks picked up his already-waxed surfboard ready to catch some waves.

"Who's coming with me?" Deeks asked. Sam, Callen, and Eric grabbed their boards to head out to the water. "Kensi? Nell? You guys want to come, too?"

"I'm fine with my book," Kensi said putting her cover-up in her bag and pulling out her book.

"I'd love to," Nell said. "But I don't know how to surf." It was right at this moment when the field agents had a split-second unspoken conversation. Kensi raised an eyebrow at Callen who smiled to Deeks who nudged Eric forward.

"I-I can teach you," Eric sputtered.

"Really?" Nell said excitedly.

"Sure." Eric ushered Nell towards the shoreline as the rest of the team sat down to watch.

"Look at his ears," Kensi giggled once Eric and Nell were out of earshot. "They're bright red."

"He's lucky he got sunburned the other day," said Callen. "Ready to hit the water, Deeks?"

"Nah," Deeks said waving off the suggestion. "I'd rather watch this little Neric moment and see what pans out."

"Neric?" asked a confused Sam.

"You know," Deeks said watching Eric show Nell how to stand on the board. "It's kind of like Brangelina or Zanessa."

"But they're not together," Sam said taking a sip from his water bottle.

"Oh, come on," Callen said pointing at a still very red Eric. "There's clearly something there. Neither of them will admit it."

"I know Eric has a crush on Nell," Sam said a little defensively, "but I don't think Nell feels the same way."

"Just watch them, Sam," said Kensi lying on her stomach and propping her book open. "You'll see it."

So that's exactly what Sam did. He watched. He watched as he paddled out for waves and whenever he came up from a duck dive. Eric was blushing the entire time and it looked extremely difficult for him to touch Nell and show her how to adjust her hips and shift her weight to achieve proper balance but Sam still wasn't convinced that Nell had feelings for Eric.

It wasn't until the early afternoon that Sam was finally convinced. Nell had just drifted onto the shore after catching a small wave and she had the biggest smile on her face as she hugged Eric. Her smile was different in a way that Sam couldn't describe and the way she looked at Eric was like something out of a romantic comedy where the girl finally realizes she has feelings for her best friend.

"Well I'll be damned," Sam laughed to himself as he paddled back to shore.

**I know. It's short. Really short. And Sam is very much OOC but I needed something bright and cute to combat the rainy day blues other than hot chocolate and apple cider (I've had...a lot more than I care to admit .). I'm still stuck on the other story I said would be coming. It is going nowhere fast so as of right now, I am taking ideas or prompts or **_**anything**_** you want to hear about. **


	9. Pedantic

**The entire time I was writing this, I just kept saying, "DAAAAAAWWW!" I love, love, love this! I hope you do, too.**

**Disclaimer: CBS owns all.**

* * *

"The first two are fine, but the third is still crooked," Nell said from the doorway.

"The level says it's level," said Eric. He lightly marked the bright orange wall with the pencil he had tucked behind his ear.

"Then it lies," said Nell with a frown.

"It's fine, Nell," Eric chuckled. "Here," he handed her the level. "Check it yourself."

"Fine," she said taking it. Eric watched as she meticulously checked and rechecked that the pencil marks were completely level. He laughed to himself when she took out the second level from the toolbox to compare it to the first. It was these kind moments that made him sure he chose the right word the previous year when he was struggling to write his vows.

...

"That's stupid," Eric said crumpling up the paper and throwing it towards the recycling bin. He missed the bin completely and the paper ball hit Callen's shoulder as he was entering the kitchen.

"Something bothering you, Eric?" Callen asked as he threw out the balled up paper.

"Vows," Eric replied glumly. "I'm stuck."

Callen grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and took a seat across the table from Eric. "What about them?" he asked opening his water bottle.

"I want to write something meaningful," explained Eric, "but I don't want it to sound like I'm reading it from a mushy romance novel."

"Mmhmm," Callen said sipping his water. He sat back in the chair. "Have you tried Google-ing a solution?"

"Yeah, but nothing was helpful. I got all the same stuff about "putting your feelings into words" and crap like that, but everything I come up with doesn't sound sincere enough."

Callen just nodded his head. He understood where Eric was coming from. It was like when something from an alias' backstory didn't sound right. He couldn't explain how it sounded wrong; it just did. After a moment of thought, Callen proposed an idea.

"Give me a word that describes Nell," he told Eric.

"Um...amazing."

"Come on, Eric," Callen scolded. "Put some thought into it. Make it a word that envelops every aspect of Nell, the good and the bad, and conveys your feelings for her."

"Ok," Eric said. He thought about it for a few minutes while Callen sat there sipping his water. He thought back to the first day Nell arrived at OSP, everything they've worked on together, the moments they shared that eventually led to where they were now. With a triumphant smile, Eric said, "Pedantic."

"Pedantic?" Callen asked with a puzzled look.

"Yeah," Eric said. "It means extremely meticulous. It also means that you flaunt your intelligence."

"I know what it means. Are you sure you want to go with that word? You still have a few months until the wedding so there's no rush."

"I really don't think there's another word to describe her," Eric said writing it onto the paper.

"Okay," Callen said with reservation. "But if she leaves you at the altar, don't say I didn't warn you." As he walked out of the kitchen he looked back and smiled at Eric as he happily scribbled out his vows.

...

"Okay, fine," Nell said putting the levels back into the toolbox. "It's level. Let's put the shelves up now."

Eric took out the drill and made two holes in the wall where he made the marks. Nell handed him the brackets to screw in and he gave them a firm shake to make sure they were secure.

"The white one," said Nell as she held up the white shelf for Eric, "goes on the topmost brackets. The green takes the second set and the brown takes the last."

"I know," he said.

"Okay." She placed her hands on her hips and sighed. "I need to go sit. Don't go screwing anything up," she joked.

When Eric was sure that Nell was out of earshot, he let out a laugh. He continued drilling and screwing in the brackets for the wall shelves. It was funny for him to see Nell worry about the tiniest detail like the order of the shelves. It reminded him why he loved her, why he married her, and why he was certain she would make a great mother. Smiling to himself, he cleaned off the shelves and began setting up pictures and small toys that the team had bought for the nursery.

* * *

**Pregnant Nell! I love it! I like writing for Callen's softer side and I love writing friendship fics for him and Eric. These two never get enough scenes together. Let me know your thoughts in the reviews.**


	10. Hike

**I am sooooooo happy that I was able to recover this one and not have to write it from memory! GAH! It's just so cute! SilverSentinal21, I know you were worried. I was able to rescue this and the three other Neric oneshots I was working on. Lucky for you (and me), I handwrite most of my prompts and keep them in a notebook and now because of the whole laptop dying situation, I am backing everything up to an external drive and a cloud drive :)**

**Disclaimer: CBS owns all.**

* * *

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the smell of fresh, clean morning air carried down the side of the mountain.

"Remind me again why we have to hike up this trail?" Eric huffed.

"Because it's the only way to make it up to the Colonel's house," Nell replied over her shoulder. "Keep up, slowpoke."

Eric struggled to keep up with Nell as they continued hiking. He really had no idea how she did it; she was so tiny and her backpack was almost twice her size but she hiked and hiked as if she had been doing it for her entire life.

"Can we stop, please?" Eric said breathlessly.

"Again?" Nell groaned turning to face Eric. "You should be able to tackle this trail. You surf!"

"I've never gone surfing at this altitude." Eric placed his hands on his knees and bent down to stretch and breathe. His statement was true but he did leave out the fact that he was terrified of falling off the side of the mountain. If he fell while surfing at least he had the water to catch him. Here on the mountain he had rocks and trees and wild animals. "How are you doing this?"

"I used to go hiking a lot as a kid with my dad. I guess I'm just used to it."

"Did you usually hike so close to the edge?"

"Oh, geez. You sound like my sister." Nell turned on her heel and resumed walking.

"Wait!" Eric cried running after her. They hiked side-by-side in silence for a bit until Eric asked, "What do you mean I sound like your sister? Do you mean I sound like a girl?"

Nell grinned. "No. I mean my sister is an absolute worrywart nutcase," Nell said handing half of a granola bar to Eric. "When we were little and there was a project of some sort she always took over and blew everything out of proportion. If I had to make a shoebox diorama, she made it huge and glittery and everything that I didn't like." She took a bite of her granola bar and thought back to the memories of washing glitter and glue out of her hair as a kid.

"Well, she's your sister," Eric said snacking on his half of the granola bar. "That's what sisters do. She's supposed to worry about you."

"Oh, yeah," Nell said her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just wait until the day I get married. She'll have a field day."

"You? Married?" Eric asked.

"If and when the right guy comes along, yes." She folded the wrapper into a neat square and slipped it into her pocket to throw out later. "Now keep up. We're just a little ways out from the cabin."

Eric stopped breathing for a moment and Nell's voice faded as his thoughts started swimming. _If and when the right guy comes along_, she said. He could be that guy. He was already pretty sure he _was_ that guy. He wanted to ask out Nell but he was afraid she's say no. But why was he afraid? Jakob said he saw _something_. Granted Jakob was only twelve but Eric could tell he was smart and very intuitive. Maybe he was on to something. Maybe he should ask her out. Maybe she'll say yes.

"Eric?" Nell's voice made him snap back to reality. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he replied with a small smile. "Just thinking." Looking ahead he saw Sam's hulking frame typing something into his cell phone and Callen talking to a local LEO. _I'm going to ask her_.

* * *

**Sorry for the long hiatus. I had a lot of stuff going on during the past few weeks and then my laptop decided to up and die on me so I lost almost everything. I know it's short but I like it. I hope you do, too! Let me know what you think and what you want to hear! Cyberhugs!**

**Hullooooooo! Keelan speaking! :D I want to thank you wonderful viewers for reading my sister's stories! And I also want to thank the readers that acknowledged me:) I luff you people as much as I luff food:) which is a lot… I shall talk to you lovely people soon! Don't forget to review, please!  
****Much luff :) Keelan~3**


	11. The Jar

**IT'S FINALLY HERE! THE FLUFFY NERIC GOODNESS IS HERE! This took a while to recover off of my old computer. I had to use this weird program and stuff and then I just edited it and posted it. It's short and there's a lot of dialogue (and some swears) but I think it's funny. Lemme know what you think.**

**In this chapter, Nell and Eric have two sons: Scott (six) and Austin (three). Scott is a miniature version of Eric, minus the glasses, and Austin is a fiery little red head just like his mom. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: LA or the characters.**

* * *

It was a perfect Saturday morning when Eric rolled over in bed hoping to find his wife sleeping next to him. Much to his surprise, and a little disappointment, he was instead greeted by twenty little toes and two little laughs. Rolling his eyes, Eric slowly lifted the covers and saw two smiling faces.

"Morning, Daddy," giggled the littlest boy, shoving his tattered orange blanket into his dad's face.

"Good morning, Dad," smiled the eldest boy. "Mom says you have to get dressed and then take out the patio furniture before everyone gets here."

"Yes, Scott, and you will be helping me." Eric grabbed Austin by the ankles and pulled him up onto his lap. "And what will you be doing, mister?"

"Helping Mommy cook," he giggled, squirming to get free.

"Really? You? Cooking? What will you be making?"

"I no know, Daddy."

"You _don't_ know," Scott corrected as he crawled up beside his dad. "Can we eat first, Dad? I'm hungry."

"Sure," replied Eric, ruffling Scott's blond hair. "Ok, how about we you two go get dressed?" he grunted as he hoisted the boys off the bed and put one under each arm.

"Shit," said a little voice. "Blanky."

Eric stopped dead in his tracks and looked down at the little boy tucked under his arm. "What did you say, Austin?" he asked slowly.

"I dropped blanky," Austin replied innocently.

"Uh huh." Eric put down both boys and herded them down the hall to their room. "Scott, help Austin get ready, ok? I have to go talk to Mom."

"Ok, Dad," smiled Scott. "Come one, Austin. Let's go find your rocket ship shirt."

Eric shuffled slowly into the kitchen where he found Nell already dressed and prepping for the barbeque with the team.

"Hey there, Sleepyhead," Nell said brightly.

"Hey, Sweetie," he said, kissing the top of her head. "We've been careful about what we say around the kids, right?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"It's nothing. I might have just been hearing things."

Nell stopped cutting up potatoes. "What did they say?"

"It was Austin, actually." Eric started to rub the back of his neck. He was a little bit nervous about telling this to Nell.

"What did he say?"

"Um…" he hesitated. "He said, "shit". He actually used it in the proper context."

"Oh, boy," Nell sighed. Her face was contemplative for a minute. "You didn't tell him not to say it, right? That only makes him want to say it more."

"No, I just told Scott to get Austin dressed."

"Ok, that's good." Nell returned to cutting potatoes but had to stop and laugh.

"Why the hell are you laughing?" Eric asked in a shocked voice. "We have no idea where the hell he heard that from!"

Nell pointed at Eric with one hand and covered her smile with the other. "He probably learned it from you!" Nell was laughing loudly now. "You're turning our three year old into a potty mouth!"

"What? I...but you…ehh!?" Nell held up a finger for Eric to stop talking, or in his case stuttering, as she went out to the garage with Eric trailing behind her. "Nell, what are you doing?"

Nell held up her finger again as she rummaged through the recycle bin and pulled out an empty glass jar. "We're going to do what my mom did," she said stepping back into the house. "We're going to have a Swear Jar."

"A Swear Jar?" Eric asked incredulously. "Really?"

"Yes," Nell replied as she washed out the jar. "Every time someone in this house swears, they have to put in one dollar." Nell dried out the now clean jar and plunked it down on the counter in front of Eric. "You have to put in two."

* * *

**Oh, the Potty Jar. I had one in my house. It's actually still there but we really don't use it anymore...we're all just really foul mouthed in my house so it's kind of pointless to use it. **

**If you would like to be kept up to date on my writings, see if I have anything new, contribute, or if you just want to stalk me, you can follow me on Twitter! My handle is the same as my pen name but without spaces :)**

**Review, please? Reviews buy chips and chocolates for the plot bunnies.**


	12. Safe

**I was literally about to post this when freaking Sandy knocked out my power which meant no internet for a week. We do have a generator but it can only do so much. **

**This one was hard for me to write for many so many reasons (I'll explain at the end). Even though there isn't much Neric, I put it under Eric and Nell because it involves them and their adorable children.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: LA or the characters.**

* * *

NCIS Special Agent G Callen slowly pulled up to the curb in the quiet and picturesque suburb. After turning off the engine, he produced from the center console a pair of black, military grade binoculars. From his position across the street , he could see straight into the family room of the quaint, little house with the perfectly manicured lawn. To his surprise, he saw two little figures at the window staring back at him through their own binoculars and in the blink of an eye they were gone. Placing the binoculars back into the center console, Callen stepped out of the car and headed over to the house.

"UNCLE G!" Two small children came bounding out the front door and each latched on to a leg as soon as Callen was on the sidewalk.

"Oh, my gosh," grunted Callen as he stumbled onto the lawn. "I must be shrinking because you guys look so much bigger than the last time I saw you."

"No," giggled the taller of the two children. "Mom says we're growing."

"No, I think I'm shrinking," Callen joked. With some effort due to the extra hundred-odd pounds of children on his legs, he began to hobble to the front door but stopped when a petite woman appeared behind the screen.

"Scott, Austin, you two are too big to do that now. Let Uncle G go."

"It's fine, Nell," Callen said with a smile as the two children laughed. He kissed Nell on the cheek as he entered the house. "Where's Eric?"

"He's changing Tessa," Nell said prying her smallest son off of Callen's leg. "Everyone else is out back if you want to head out with Scott. Austin needs to change his shirt."

"No!" Austin protested.

"Yes," Nell said firmly. "You have oatmeal all over you."

"No," he pouted.

"Hey, Austin," Callen whispered. "If you change your shirt, I'll let you shake Sam's soda before he opens it." The little boy's face lit up at this proposition and he wriggled free of his mother's grasp to go change.

"Thanks, G," huffed Nell. "Now I know why he thinks it's hilarious to shake his juice boxes."

…

"Mommy, may I be excused?" Scott asked politely.

"Me, too, peas?" Austin asked.

"Yes, both of you are excused," Nell said ruffling their hair.

Scott hopped off his chair and after helping Austin off of his, the two ran off the deck and took turns sliding down the blue and orange Little Tykes slide.

"Give me the baby, Sam," Kensi said reaching out her arms for Tessa.

"She likes me better," said Sam, cradling little Tessa in his arms. "Besides, you drank a beer."

"It was only half of a beer!" Kensi protested. "Marty drank the other half."

Eric and Nell smiled as they watched their coworkers fight over their nine month old daughter. With a shared look, they both recalled the same situation involving Austin just two years earlier and another situation with Scott six years earlier. It was hard to believe that the little family they had planned on having was growing so quickly.

"Come on, Sam," Callen said, trying to lend Kensi a hand. "It'll be good practice for her since she's so eager to become a mom."

"Fine," pouted Sam. He passed Tessa over the table to Kensi who became immediately absorbed in little baby Tessa.

The adults, excluding Kensi whose full attention was on Tessa, continued to talk until a shrill yelp came from out in the yard. "Scott?" Eric called out. "Gimme a SitRep, buddy."

"Austin got a splinter in his thumb."

"Really, Eric?" Callen chuckled. "SitRep? You do know he's six, right?"

"We're starting them young," Nell joked as she stood to retrieve her youngest son. "Could you guys clear up the plates? Scott and Austin made some pie for you all."

Deeks gladly stacked up the plates while Sam and Callen gathered up the bottles and cans. Kensi was still occupied with Tessa and Eric had Scott clinging to his leg.

"Can I get the mail, Daddy, pleeeeeeease?" the little boy asked excitedly. "Please, please, please!?"

"Let's clean up the table first, bud," Eric said ruffling Scott's blond waves.

Scott immediately set about to gathering the plastic utensils and putting them into the stack of dirty cups that Kensi held out to him. Before he went into the house to throw everything in the trash he planted a kiss on his baby sister's head. "Can I get the mail now?" he asked impatiently.

"Alright, alright," Eric sighed. "Let's go." Eric opened the front door and made to step out but Scott made him stop.

"I can do it myself," he said confidently and with sure steps he made his way down the driveway.

"Audacious little guy," Sam said appearing behind Eric.

"Think he'll break the internet when he's older?" Callen joked.

"Very funny, G. That one never gets old."

"Aw, come on now," Callen prodded. "You're a dad now. We've gotta make you look ridiculous so we can be the cool uncles."

"Yeah, the cool kick-ass uncles."

"Thanks. Totally feeling the love right now."

"Whatcha looking at, guys?" Deeks chirped. Eric pointed out the screen door at Scott who just reached the mailbox and was standing on his toes to open it. "Oh. Red letter day for him, isn't it? Getting the mail all by himself like a man."

After a minute or two of struggling to reach into the mailbox, Scott finally procured the mail and smiled triumphantly at his success. Still beaming, he slammed the metal box shut and made his way towards the house. Suddenly, a red minivan pulled up onto the curb. The rear passenger door slid open and a pair of arms reached out and pulled Scott in.

Eric was the first to react. When the van's door slid open he knew something was wrong and he ran out of the house. Callen and Sam were next and they immediately climbed into Callen's car and sped off after it but not before ordering Deeks to go around the block to cut it off.

...

"LET ME GO!" Scott howled as he struggled to get out of his captor's grasp. He kicked his legs at the air and against the driver's seat and failed his arms wildly in an attempt to hit the person holding him down.

"Sit still for Mommy, Jason," scolded a woman's voice. "Daddy's driving."

"My name isn't Jason!" Scott cried as he squirmed and fought. "And you're not my mommy!" Scott kicked again, this time throwing his whole weight into it as if he were launching his toy soldiers across the room. His little feet connected squarely with the side of the driver's head which caused him to swerve and ultimately crash into a lamppost. Remembering what his dad and Uncles Sam, G, and Deeks taught him, Scott bit down hard on the woman's hand and made a break for it as she nursed her now bleeding hand. Little Scott yanked the van door open and ran back in the direction of him house. "Help!" he shrieked at the top of his lungs. "Somebody help!"

"Jason!" the driver barked from a few yards away. "You get back here right now!" This only made Scott run faster and scream even louder.

Callen's car screeched to a halt inches from the curb and Eric stumbled out before it even came to a stop. Sam and Callen bolted out, guns drawn, and shouted, "NCIS!" Deeks rounded the corner at this point and after cuffing the woman to the van he slowly came up behind the man.

Scott tumbled into Eric's arms and Eric gripped him tightly to his chest. He fell to the ground and tears came pouring out as he held his son.

"That man," the van's driver cried, "has my son! I just want my son!"

"He's not your son, sir," Callen said calmly as Deeks inched up behind him.

"That's my Jason!" the man insisted. "That's my boy!" He began to cry and blubber how Scott was really his son Jason. His speech became incoherent as he began to sob and Deeks took the opportunity to take him down.

...

After everyone's adrenaline levels returned to normal and Scott had been sufficiently hugged by his parents and the rest of the team, he asked why the man and woman who took him called him Jason. It wasn't until later that the team discovered that the real Jason disappeared sixteen years earlier without a trace and local law enforcement gave up on the search long ago. Until then, though, Eric and Nell told him that the couple was confused. Nell fretted ever Scott, understandably, and kept asking if he was ok and if he was scared. Much to everyone's surprise, Scott said he was fine. "If the people were confused I guess it's ok. I get confused, too, sometimes and you and Daddy say it's ok."

"I'm still calling Nate later," Eric said in a very fatherly tone.

When Scott scampered off to his room, Eric and Nell drew everyone in for a hug. The six of them stood in the family room in silence for a few minutes and everyone knew it was a silent thanks.

"Mommy?" Scott called from his room. "Can we have pie now?"

* * *

**It killed me to write the kidnap scene because I just hate when something horrible involves kids. Imagine having a house full of NCIS agents and someone tries to kidnap their kid. Bad idea, yeah? I think when I'm a mom the first thing I'm going to do is enroll my kids in self-defense classes. Am I just being paranoid?**


	13. Important Announcement

_**We interrupt this story to bring you this brief fangirl message:**_

OHMIGOSH YOU GUYS! I'm finally watching last week's episode (Collateral...it's Dec 5 9pm EST for me right now) and I had to pause and fangirl because Eric and Nell have a swear jar! I'm squealing and crying and almost choked on my toothbrush (it's still hanging out of my mouth and toothpaste is on the verge of going all over my laptop) but I had to stop and post this! I have 3 Neric fics going on right now but they're on hold because of finals. I still love you and I'll post as soon as I can.

Seriously, though. SWEAR JAR! I CALLED IT! Idk what I called but whatever it is I called it! *finishes brushing teeth* I FEEL SO AWESOME RIGHT NOW! *victory dance around my room as Keelan watches from the hall and stares at me like I have problems* I'm done...for now…

This makes me wonder if the writers read fanfic. Did they get this idea from me? I feel so important right now but that's probably just my super-inflated ego. But seriously, do you think they read fanfic?

Hugs,  
A Very Sleep Deprived, Caffeine Infused AJ


	14. Delta Gamma - Part 1

**Merry everything guys! I hope your holidays are going well. This has been in the works for a while and I put it on the back burner so I could figure it out. It definitely takes place before the gushy feels stuff I've been writing and there isn't much Neric but this is just something to introduce you to the story.**

* * *

A sharp whistle cut through the noise of the daily bustle in OSP like a foghorn in...well...fog. Down in the bullpen, three of the four agents looked up from their desks to acknowledge the whistler. The fourth, an LAPD detective and liaison for NCIS: OSP, kept his head buried in his arms like an ostrich with its head in the dirt.

"What the hell, Eric? It's too early for this," Deeks groaned loudly.

"Nell is up in Ops. She needs to talk to us." Eric turned on his heel and headed back to his cave.

"Come on, Deeks," Kensi goaded chucking a paper ball at her partner's head before following Callen and Sam upstairs.

"Was that really necessary?" Deeks asked with his head still down. Deeks pushed himself away from his desk, gulped down the rest of his coffee, and, rather reluctantly, trudged his way upstairs. Once inside the cool, darkness of Tech Ops Deeks immediately felt like curling into a ball and sleeping.

"Good of you to join us, Mr. Deeks," Hetty said from her place in front of the main screen. "Just in time, too. Miss Jones was about to update us." It was weird seeing Nell on the main screen and not beside Eric. Her surroundings were odd, too. There were posters of bands and countless photos made into a collage.

"Hey, guys. So I vetted all the Delta Gamma girls as discretely as possible and most of them came up clean except for two: Ashleigh Evans and Kristina Peters." Nell held up a photo of each of the girls and continued. "Both of their fathers hold high-power positions and control a lot, and I mean a lot, of money."

"Kristina's father is head of a weapons manufacturing company and Ashleigh's father is the CEO of another," Eric chimed in. "Both companies distribute weapons to pretty much all of the US Armed Forces."

"Yes, but one of them is selling surplus weapons to the cartels in Mexico and some unsavory folks in Russia." This flow of information continued for a few minutes with Eric cutting in here and there with some of his own gathered intelligence.

"Eric, what can you tell us about the girls?" Hetty asked.

"Ash-"

"Ashleigh Rae Evans was raised in Lancaster where she attended Jack Northrop Elementary School until her parents divorced just before her eighth birthday. She stayed at Jack Northrop until her mother remarried two years later and they moved to her step-dad's house in Nichols Canyon. Once she moved there, she met her best friend, Leah, at Gardener Elementary and went on to Bancroft Middle School and graduated from Fairfax High School where upon graduating she began attending UCLA double majoring in education and child psychology." Nell paused to take a breath but found herself looking at a very confused team on her laptop. "We had a lot to talk about over coffee," she said sheepishly.

"How much coffee did you have?" Deeks jested which got him a scolding glare from Kensi and Hetty.

"What about Kristina?" Callen said ignoring Deeks' comment.

"She's not big on talking," Nell sighed. "All I got out of her was that her dad cut her off because he doesn't approve of her boyfriend. I don't even know the boyfriend's name. That's all I have, Callen. I'm sorry."

"That's okay, Nell," Callen said, smiling reassuringly. "You did good."

"How you holding up, Nell?" Sam asked with a concerned look on his face. He always did have a soft spot for Nell. "You look a little beat."

"I'm okay," Nell yawned. "Classes are killer. College wasn't this tough the first time. Then again I was majoring in computer science, not linguistics and psychology." She yawned again. "I've gone through all the coffee you guys sent me," she said shaking the empty bag in front of the webcam.

"You're super smart, Nell," Kensi said encouragingly. "You'll get through this."

"Plus, it's hump day so you've only got two more days until the weekend!" Deeks chirped.

"I've got a psych paper due Monday," Nell said with a glum look on her normally cheerful face. "I won't have a weekend."

"We'll send you some more coffee, Nell," said Callen. "Anything else?"

"Um…" Nell wracked her tired brain to make sure she didn't miss anything. "Oh, yeah. Ashleigh is having a party for the new pledges at her step-dad's house in Nichols Canyon tonight. If you guys can get me some surveillance tech I can set it up in his house."

"Of course, Miss Jones. I will send Mr. Deeks with a care package containing everything you need including a box of my best gunpowder green tea. One cup has as much caffeine as a cup of coffee and it is much healthier."

Nell smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Hetty. I already have a cover story for Deeks, too. I told my roommate that I have an older brother. I know, I deviated from the cover story but it seemed like a good idea in case something came up later."

"It was a smart move," praised Callen. "Deeks, get the gear to Nell then look at Peters' company with Kensi. Sam and I will look into Evans'." Hetty and the team left Ops with Nell waving goodbye on the main screen.

"How's that paper coming along?" Eric asked when the team had left.

Nell looked at the ceiling and groaned. "It is so frustrating! I've read so many articles and thesis papers on nature versus nature that I'm ready to puke." She stuck out her tongue and made a gagging noise.

"It's that bad, huh?"

"My first time writing code was easier than this stupid paper," Nell said rubbing her temples.

"Uh huh. Have you checked your email?" Eric said with a small smile.

"Not yet. Why?"

"Just look."

Minimizing the Skype window, Nell opened up her email and her jaw dropped which made Eric smile more broadly. "How did you-"

"I downloaded a copy of your course syllabus and I thought I'd give you a hand. Mind you, it's been three days since I've played my XBOX so if it sounds a little disjointed towards the end, it's from XBOX withdrawal."

"You are an amazing man, Eric Beale," Nell said pointing her finger into the webcam. "I am buying you a buttload of Oreos when I get back."

"How about the next time you feel like ripping out your hair you give me a call?" Eric asked hopefully.

"I'll do you one better," Nell smiled into the webcam. "I've got nothing due next week and since you did my paper, my weekend has magically freed up so how about you and me have a video game marathon? I can go home, too, and actually sleep in my own bed."

"It's a date," Eric said and he immediately tried to backtrack. "What I meant to say was that-"

"I know what you meant," Nell chuckled. "I gotta go; Rachel's back." She waved goodbye and shut the laptop leaving Eric alone in the cool darkness of Ops.

* * *

**I know it's not Christmas anymore but when I tried to upload this at my aunt's house, it was taking forever and I was eventually dumped out. This is what happens when 20+ people are using one router. **

**I know absolutely nothing about L.A. since I'm an east coast girl BUT I researched my butt off for Nell's little spiel. Thoughts?**

**Also, the last episode? I almost died from happiness at the end. I was squeeing and then I was all hnnnnnnnggg! FEELINGS!**


	15. Stomach Bug

**First Neric oneshot since forever! For an explanation of my hiatus, please see Chapter 11 of my Densi collection.**

**I have quite a few Neric fics going and I wasn't sure which one to type up first so I kind of did eenie meenie. I really like Sam in this one. Fluffy alert!**

* * *

Rain. Nothing but rain for three days straight. Traffic was a nightmare since people that normally walked or biked to work were forced to take their cars or the bus, the latter leading to serious overcrowding and exceptionally uncomfortable bus rides. Beaches were empty except for the occasional group of teenagers that thought it would be fun to get sucked into the mud or decided it was smart to dare Mother Nature to strike them with lighting. As for the boardwalk...well, nobody dared walk it for fear of slipping and falling into the tumultuous ocean below.

The flow of intel seemed to match the downpour outside the stuccoed walls of OSP. It was so much more than usual that Hetty had to temporarily transfer some officers to Ops just to cope with the influx of information and to sift through the good and the bad. Eric was calm for the most part but when one of the transfer agents asked him a question about anything while he was working on archiving his virtual mountain of data, he simply and sharply said, "Stick it in the 'Sort Later' folder and one of the senior analysts will take care of it," without looking away from his monitors. About halfway through the transfers' first day, which was Ops' and Eric's third day, the transfers figured out it was best not to bother him.

On the other hand, Nell was a little more patient than Eric but only a little. Before the rain started she could feel that something about her was off, like the early stages of a cold, so she took all the necessary precautions like going to bed as soon as she and Eric got home, taking extra vitamins, and drinking copious amounts of herbal tea courtesy of Hetty and her wonderful wedding gift. Still, she was dizzy and nauseous in spite of her cold-prep but she plowed through her work all the same. For good measure, she worked in her little alcove isolated from any and all possible further infectants, kept a thermos of hot tea on her desk, and a trashcan within reach for emergencies.

When Nell came out of the bathroom for the third time in two hours, Sam took it upon himself to check on her well-being. "You okay there, Nell?"

"It's just a stomach bug," Nell replied. "Happens at this time every year."

"Yeah, my kids get it, too, but not this bad. You should go see a doctor."

"You sound like Eric," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'll be fine in a few days."

Sam crossed his arms and chuckled to himself. "I know it's not my place but, I really think you should see a doctor. This might be more than a stomach bug. Or you're just real fond of visiting the ladies' room."

Nell laughed and shook her head. "I'm really fine, Sam. Again, I get the stomach bug this time every year. It's just a little harder to shake this time around."

"Alright. As long as you're sure it's not something else," Sam sang.

"It's not," Nell sang back.

"I'll leave you to your work then. I think there's some saltines and ginger ale in the kitchen if you're still feeling-"

"Thank you!" Nell said, ushering out Sam. She returned to her work with half of a smile, which was a half-smile more than she had that morning, and thought nothing of her sickness until Eric stopped by to check on her.

"Stop," Nell said sharply when Eric tried to give her a kiss. "I don't want to get you sick. That is that last thing we need."

"And I really don't care at this point," he replied, kissing the tip of her nose. "I still think you should see a doctor."

"You and Sam," Nell said exasperatedly. "My immune system is shot because all this intel is stressing me out. I'm clearly not dying and this stomach virus is an annual thing so it can't be any... Oh, my gosh."

"What?" Eric asked, clearly confused.

Nell felt like an absolute idiot. "How did I not consider that possibility?" she said more to herself than to Eric. Without another word, she dragged a very confused Eric out of her office and into the bullpen to confront Sam. "How do you know?" she demanded in a hushed tone.

Sam smiled and shrugged. "I'm a father. I know things."

"What does he know?" Eric asked, looking from Nell to Sam and back.

"You couldn't elaborate more when you talked to me earlier?" Nell asked while ignoring Eric.

"Elaborate on what?" Eric asked a little bit louder, hoping someone would answer him.

"I know you like to draw your own conclusions." Sam sat back in his chair and smiled again. "You wanna tell Eric before he collapses from the suspense?"

Nell turned to Eric and shook her head at her own obliviousness. "Eric. I think I'm pregnant."

"What?" he exhaled.

"I think I'm pregnant," Nell repeated, this time more emphatically.

Eric laughed incredulously but when he thought it out and saw the look on Nell's face, he shook off all bewilderment and let out a noise somewhere between a cheer and a yelp which caused some people to look in his direction.

"You gonna go see a doctor now?" Sam asked which earned him a paperclip to the forehead.

* * *

**Teehee! Thoughts?**

**I've got part duex of Delta Gamma in the works. I am excite! *happy dance* It's good to be back.**


End file.
